81298719-Support for the digital transformation of MSMEs in Nigeria through an ecosystem development approach

Kurze Beschreibung

The Digital Transformation Center Nigeria (DTC Nigeria) is a project commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and jointly funded by the European Union (EU) (Multi-Donor Action (MDA)), implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
The specific objective of the project (BMZ financed part) is to improve the capacity of the Nigerian Economy to utilise digital innovations for growth. The specific objective of the MDA is to improve the digital innovation ecosystem in Nigeria and to support the digital transformation of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The political partner is the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning. The DTC works with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), as a lead technical partner to improve the capacities of the innovation ecosystem for the growth of the digital economy in Nigeria in the following areas - policy implementation, performance improvement of organisations and networks, service providers of the digital economy, scalable digital solutions, and digital skills.
The immediate target groups of the project are start-ups and (innovative) MSMEs working in conventional sectors, women and youth.).
MSMEs account for about 96% of businesses in Nigeria and are responsible for 75% of national employment. MSMEs contributed 43.31% of Nigeria's GDP, according to a 2022 survey conducted by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics. Yet, Nigeria ranked only 118th out of 132 economies in the 2021 Global Innovation Index. Most MSMEs are lagging, behind the digital transformation andmany, particularly outside of the capital, do not have access to the (digital) innovation ecosystem.
The project seeks to support the improvement of the digital innovation ecosystem by (i) creating a business environment for the technological transformation of non-ICT MSMEs in SDG and development-related sectors, (ii) improving the innovation support ecosystem, (iii) fostering partnerships, and developing and implementing digital solutions and (iv) access to digital and entrepreneurial skills.
The project will achieve its objectives through the following outputs:
- Output 1, Policy & Cooperation - Improved innovation-friendly conditions for the digital economy are promoted by building capacities of key political institutions
- Output 2, Digital Innovation Ecosystem Support - Improved service offerings from Innovation support organisations (ISO) for the digital transformation of non-tech MSMEs are promoted by: supporting the establishment of DIHs. In addition, existing ISOs are strengthened to provide services to start-up and innovative MSMEs to validate existing digital solutions and to MSMEs in non-ICT sectors to foster their digital transformation.
- Output 3, Digital Innovation & Entrepreneurship - New and validated innovative solutions are produced and deployed for use by: developing programmes that allow MSMEs within a structured process to deploy digital solutions. By fostering strategic innovation partnerships between local research as well as higher education institutions, start-ups, innovative SMEs, and other actors in the innovation ecosystem, validated solutions will be further developed and made accessible for use in MSMEs.
- Output 4, Digital & Entrepreneurial Skills for Women & Youth - Digital and entrepreneurial skills are developed among youth and women by: harmonising existing digital and entrepreneurial skills programmes of innovation support organisations, public and private training providers, etc. through a national digital and entrepreneurial training qualification framework.

Beschreibung der Beschaffung

This tender aims at supporting the digital transformation of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and supporting innovation support organisations (ISOs), thereby strengthening the underlying support ecosystem in Nigeria.
For this, DTC Nigeria seeks contractor services to:
1. Support the establishment of four (4) digital service points (DSP) in cooperation with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) or other national agencies to support conventional MSMEs in their digital transformation (Work package A);
2. Provide capacity building and certification for digital consultants and support the setup of a network of certified digital consultants and its relationship with the digital and entrepreneurial ecosystem. "Certified Digital Consultants" are consultants certified to support conventional MSMEs through their process of digital transformation (Work package B);
3. Provide capacity building for ten (10) selected Innovation Support Organisations and pilot an Innovation Support Organisation Auditing and Certification System. Accompanied by capacity training offers to ISO staff, this will help ensure that MSMEs have access to high-quality services to support them on their digital transformation journey (Work package C);
4. Pilot a "go.digital" voucher scheme" to bridge the demand and supply gap. This work package includes technical support to the establishment of a voucher scheme for the digital transformation of MSMEs in Nigeria in order to both close the financial hurdle that many MSMEs face to increase their digitalization and at the same time to increase the demand for particular ISO services (Work package D);
5. Cross-Cutting Monitoring & Evaluation, Knowledge Management and Communication to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation, communication, and knowledge management across all activities in all work packages (Work package E).
Through complementary and systematic awareness raising campaigns, non-ICT sector MSMEs will be sensitised on the need to adopt digital solutions.
This tender seeks a consultancy to implement these five work packages during 11/2023 (to be confirmed) and 11/2025. The consultancy should offer local and international expertise in the areas of private sector development with a special focus on MSMEs or digitalisation and innovation or organisational management and change management. The assignments will be expected to be implemented in Nigeria.
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This tender is complementary to other assignments within the project, such as the setup of Digital Innovation Hubs , a "coordinated group of organisations with complementary expertise and a public-benefit objective, offering a set of services and activities to companies to support their digital transformation and innovation through a one-stop shop" (in output 2 of the underlying project) a matchmaking platform established by the project to link businesses developing or creating digital solutions with businesses seeking digital solutions (output 3) or the development of digital and entrepreneurial skills among youth and women (output 4).
Gender sensitive measures and the "Leave No one Behind" principle will be used to ensure maximum inclusion of women and people with disabilities.

Beschreibung der Verlängerungen

GIZ may optionally commission contract amendments and/or increases based on the criteria in the tender documents to the successful bidder of this tender. For details, please see the terms of reference.

Beschreibung der Optionen

GIZ may optionally commission contract amendments and/or increases based on the criteria in the tender documents to the successful bidder of this tender. For details, please see the terms of reference.

Liste und kurze Beschreibung der Bedingungen

1. Trading name and address, commercial register number
2. Eligibility declaration that no grounds for exclusion in Section 123, 124 of the German Act Against Restraints of Competition (GWB) apply
3. Eligibility declaration of subcontractors if applicable
4. Association clause if applicable

Liste und kurze Beschreibung der Auswahlkriterien

1. At least 2 reference projects in the technical field Digital Transformation of MSMEs and at least 2 reference projects in the field Innovation Support Organizations, including at least 1 reference project in Africa in the last 3 years.
2. The technical assessment is only based on reference projects with a minimum commission value of 200,000.00 EUR.

Bedingungen für die Teilnahme (technische und berufliche Fähigkeiten)

1. At least 2 reference projects in the technical field Digital Transformation of MSMEs and at least 2 reference projects in the field Innovation Support Organizations, including at least 1 reference project in Africa in the last 3 years.
2. The technical assessment is only based on reference projects with a minimum commission value of 200,000.00 EUR.

Genaue Informationen über Fristen für Überprüfungsverfahren

According to Article 160, Section 3 of the German Act Against Restraint of Competition (GWB), application for review is not permissible insofar as
1. the applicant has identified the claimed infringement of the procurement rules before submitting the application for review and has not submitted a complaint to the contracting authority within a period of 10 calendar days; the expiry of the period pursuant to Article 134, Section 2 remains unaffected,
2. complaints of infringements of procurement rules that are evident in the tender notice are not submitted to the contracting authority at the latest by the expiry of the deadline for the application or by the deadline for the submission of bids, specified in the tender notice.
3. complaints of infringements of procurement rules that first become evident in the tender documents are not submitted to the contracting authority at the latest by the expiry of the deadline for application or by the deadline for the submission of bids,
4. more than 15 calendar days have expired since receipt of notification from the contracting authority that it is unwilling to redress the complaint.
Sentence 1 does not apply in the case of an application to determine the invalidity of the contract in accordance with Article 135, Section 1 (2). Article 134, Section 1, Sentence 2 remains unaffected.